Distant promise
by IceClover
Summary: Set after the last episode of Brave 10 with slight changes to the plot. The shinobi Saizo admired as a boy, Hiiragi Kiryu, appears. (Random name I came up with, cause it didn't say in the story.) Will Saizo fulfill the promise he made with Kiryu, or will he be swept away by old memories?
1. Chapter 1

"We'll need a leader for us Ten." said Kakei-san with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Then what about you, Kakei-san?" suggested Saizo.

"I'll have to decline. I still have a lot left to do."

"And how about Sasuke? Since you're a monkey, you should be familiar with being the King of the Castle."

Sasuke abruptly punched Saizo with an irrational face. Saizo, losing his balance, shouted "You have a short temper!"

"Out of the question."

"Huh!?" replied Saizo, whipping out his short knife. "Say your prayers, monkey!"

"I refuse. You say your prayers!" Sasuke countered, whipping out his knife just in time to reflect Saizo's.

"Stop!" Izanami shouted, pulling the two apart. "What's going on with you so suddenly, Sasuke?"

Sasuke, facing the ground, said "The leader... Isn't me."

"Ha?"

"That's _your_ obligation."

"Huh!? Don't tell me... the reason you snapped..."

"Refuse to say it twice." said Sasuke as he disappeared into the forest.

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_Sasuke's misunderstanding. I'm not made to be a leader. They wouldn't know of the things I've done as a shinobi. The old man says I'm the light and I've saved Izanami, but I'm not what they say. How can I be the light with all the people I've killed? That's just ridiculous._

"Saizo, we have an intruder!" shouted Ana from where she was patrolling.

"Got it!" Saizo drew his sword and ran to the scene. "You have some nerve to intrude my territory in broad daylight. Who are you?"

"Uptight as ever, aren't you, Saizo? I'm Hiiragi Kiryu, remember me?" chuckled the intruder.

"Hi-Hiiragi Kiryu? You can't be... He was supposed to have been killed." muttered Saizo, thinking of any possible reasons Kiryu could still be alive.

"Oh, so you do remember me. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Saizo, you know this person?" asked Ana.

"Kind of. Hiiragi Kiryu's the shinobi and friend I admired from Iga." explained Saizo.

"Oh, so he's the one."

"Ana, Saizo, what about the intruder?" questioned Sasuke as the rest of the Braves rushed over.

"Uh..."

"He's Saizo's friend from Iga." repeated Ana.

"From Iga?"

"Yeah. But he's supposed to have been killed." Ana turned to Kiyru. "How did you survive? From what Saizo told me, you couldn't have gotten out of it alive."

"Am I really that unreliable, Saizo?" laughed Kiryu, turning to Saizo.

"Uh, no... It's just that I saw you fall into the lake. I even waited for you to swim up, but you didn't. How _did_ you survive?"

"It's quite simple; I was saved by some travelers that happened to pass by. They didn't know I was a shinobi that was almost killed by the master."

"Travelers? In Iga? That's pretty rare. Not many people go there. They tend to have heard the rumors and avoid it."

"So you do believe me?"

"Not entirely, but I guess I can hear you out."

"Okay, fair enough." said Kiyru as he invited himself inside.

〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜

"So, how you doing since you left Iga?" questioned Kiryu looking amused.

"Uh, nothing new. Just being a shinobi, I guess." Saizo explained with a smug face.

"Oh, but its pretty surprising you decided to work for a Daimyo. I though you'd be the solo type with what happened."

"Yeah... I thought so too. It's just I was swept along with these guys." Saizo shrugged, pointing to the rest of the Braves behind him.

"I met Saizo first, and kind of dragged him along!" cried Izanami.

"Oh, what a cutie. But Saizo, are you going to be staying here?"

"... I don't know." answered an unsure Saizo.

"... You won't be staying here?" whispered Izanami.

"I told you I don't know. I never planned on working under a Daimyo."

"Saizo... Please? Can you stay here?" pleaded Izanami, desperately clinging to Saizo.

"..."

"What are you gonna do, Saizo? Will you stay here and possibly follow their paths, or leave and return to Iga?" Kiyru suggested with a shrug.

"... I'll think about it." said Saizo as he stood up and left the room.

"..." The rest of the Braves had confused looks as they followed Saizo with their eyes.

"He hasn't changed, has he?"

"Kiyru, do you think Saizo is going to leave us?" Izanami shakily asked.

"I don't know. He's probably thinking of his parents right now." answered Kiyru with a sad, knowing face.

"His parents?" Kakei-san, who was silently listening to the conversation, spoke up.

"Yeah. They're the reason he refused to work under a Daimyo."

"What happened?" Kakei-san asked, the Braves slightly leaning in.

"It's a long story, but basically his parents were killed by their individual Daimyo's order. Both Daimyos easily disposed of them, saying shinobis are just tools." Kiyru started with a distance look.

"Killed by their Daimyo?" whispered several of the Braves.

"Yeah. We, Iga's shinobi, are taught to suppress or kill are emotions when serving a Daimyo. Our doyen always said that emotions are useless for a shinobi. Shinobis are just supposed to follow orders, not think or disobey. Emotion just leads to problems." explained Kiyru, as if he was talking about common sense.

"Kill our emotions... Emotions are unnessecary..." repeated the Braves in a trance.

"That's a cruel Daimyo." spoke Yukimura, nonchalantly scratching his head.

"Practically all Daimyos are like that. They easily discard shinobis to save their own hide." said Kiryu with slight disgust.

"Kiryu-dono, have you experienced this as well? You said earlier that you were a shinobi almost killed by your master..." questioned Kakei-san, a little hesitantly.

"Yes. My master tried to dispose of me, saying I was no longer needed. That's why I'm here, to see how Saizo's doing."

"And, you think the same thing will happen to Saizo if he stays here?" Rokuro said. "Do you think this easy-going person can do such a thing?"

"Hmph, you never know. Mine and Saizo's parents' Daimyos were kind and caring at first, but look how it turned out. You can't fully trust anybody unless they've been in similar circumstances."

"You're a lonely person." mumbled Seikai.

"Iga's shinobis are all taught to be lonely. Our doyen says friends must kill the other without hesitating when meeting in battle." shrugged Kiyru. "It's only fair."

**I couldn't decide where to cut this chapter, so I've just cut it here and I'll start a new chapter. Thanx for reading!**


	2. Author's note

I'm currently busy with moving to a new place, and will not be able to post a chapter anytime soon... Also I kind of got a cold...

So sorry for any inconveniences... m(_ _)m

Hope you keep reading my stories!

Thanx!


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